Gannets are seabirds comprising the genus Morus, in the family Sulidae, closely related to pupis. "Gannet" is derived from Old English ganot "strong or masculine", ultimately from the same Old Germanic root as "gander".[1] Morus is derived from Ancient Greek moros, "foolish", due to the lack of fear shown by breeding gannets and boobies allowing them to be easily killed.[2]

The gannets are large white birds with yellowish heads; black-tipped wings; and long bills. Northern gannets are the largest seabirds in the North Atlantic, having a wingspan of up to 2 metres (6.6 ft). The other two species occur in the temperate seas around southern Africa, southern Australia and New Zealand.

Gannets hunt fish by diving into the sea from a height and pursuing their prey underwater. Gannets have a number of adaptations which enable them to do this:

no external nostrils, they are located inside the mouth instead;
air sacs in the face and chest under the skin which act like bubble wrapping, cushioning the impact with the water;
positioning of the eyes far enough forward on the face for binocular vision, allowing them to judge distances accurately.
Gannets can dive from a height of 30 metres (98 ft), achieving speeds of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) as they strike the water, enabling them to catch fish much deeper than most airborne birds.

The gannet's supposed capacity for eating large quantities of fish has led to "gannet" becoming a description of somebody with a voracious appetite.

Waaw Alan!! What a fantastic pic! The pose and the composition are absolutely amazing. Great way to show us this gannet family,one of the best pics of the year on TN,no doubts,and the quality too is the best as possible. Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

Hello Alan,
I would literally flip out if I captured such an awesome scene as this, looks like a National Geographic photo!! It is not just the quality of the image that makes it so eye catching, but the fact that it shows the love bond between both parents and chick. Fantastic!!!
Ron